Sunday, October 27, 2013

Halal Sex Shop opened in Turkey

Turkey's fırst Halal Sex Shop has been launched selling halal sex products and giving advises on how to have "halal" sex. The shop is opened by 38 years old Turkish entrepreneur Haluk Murat Demirel. The sex shop does not use explicit photos and does not sell haram products such as vibrators (masturbation is not halal). The halal sex shop on the other hand sells products “entirely safe,” and in compliance with Islamic norms such as condoms, massage oils, lubricants and herbal aphrodisiacs.

45 per cent of the halal sex shop are women. The shop does not have an official Halal certificate. The shop owner checks the products in Islamic sources and marks them Halal.

The entrance page on its web site there are 2 sections Erkek (Male) and Kadın (Female). It says completely safe, comply with Islamic norms and Halal sexual products.

Halal Sex Shop opened in Turkey
Entrance page of Halal Sex Shop
"We use words which are delicate, not pornographic," he explains. "For example, instead of 'horny' we use 'desiring'. These details are important."

Turkey is a country where liberal and conservative values often conflict. Recently a Victoria's Secret shop silently pulled down their shutters before the prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was in this Ankara Shopping Mall, walked by. This was quite aggressively debated in social networks and internet in general.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Turkish socialite rocked by black baby scandal

This blog post is moved to Oravar.com : Turkish socialite rocked by black baby scandal.

Turkish man Yagmur Kursat Ersagun accused of rape in Taiwan

One of the most talked person in Taiwan was a Turkish student named Yağmur Kürşat Ersagün. Unfortunately, the topic is rape: Ersagün also known as Wang KaiJie (王凱傑) in Taiwan is accused of raping a woman and an underage high school girl. And there is more: Taiwan police have found sex videos of 29 women in his apartment.

Last April, a woman approached Taipei Police and accused Ersagün with attempted rape. According to the woman, she has met Ersagün in internet and he has brought her to his apartment with the excuse of "feeding his sick rabbit". Ersagün, who is a student in Taiwan for the past 5 years, was in front of judge this week and rejected all accusations. He had claimed that the videos found in his apartment was taken with the consent of the women and he has given a copy of the video to the women. Unlike most other sex video scandals, the videos did not leak to internet to be watched by masses.

Taiwan has a very big video and rape scandal last year. Justin Lee, a playboy and son of a well known tycoon in Taiwan, has been accused of raping and taking videos of women. Some of these women were very well known models and actresses like Maggie Wu. At the end Justin Lee has been found guilty for raping 9 women and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Justin Lee scandal videos were leaked to internet and was highly in demand for download and watch.
Yağmur Kürşat Ersagün
Yağmur Kürşat Ersagün

Bosphorus Cruise - Full Bosphorus Cruise and Short Bosphorus Tour

One of the things you must do in Istanbul is to take a Bosphorus Cruise. This unique experience will let you see both Asian and European shores of Bosphorus and Istanbul's magestic silhouette from a fantastic angel.

But which Bosphorus Cruise you should take. You will be flooded with many cruise operators in Istanbul. Most of these are private Bosphorus Cruises and they are usually disappointingly short, expensive tours on small boats. The best Bosphorus Cruise in Istanbul are those 2 tours operated by Istanbul's Sehir Hatlari: 4 Seasons Bosphorus Tours.

See more Bosphorus Cruise - Full Bosphorus Cruise and Short Bosphorus Tour.

Friday, October 25, 2013

FEMEN Turkey branch is active now

Ukraine based feminist protest group FEMEN has opened its Turkey affiliate. FEMEN Turkey Twitter page has announced the new development : We announce the debut of FEMEN Turkey office! Join Guntulu! Fight for democracy in your country.

Guntulu is the name of the young topless Turkish woman in the photo below whose boobs are painted to Turkish flag while her protest fist is all the way up. FEMEN is known for its topless protests. The abusive messages left under the photo of Guntulu shows that FEMEN members will have hard time in Turkey.

FEMEN Turkey Twitter account was suspended for half an hour but later activated again. The first message about Turkey after the opening was about ODTU (Middle East Technical University) in Ankara where students are protesting the government who is determined to cut 3,000 trees in ODTU forest.

Back in late July, Turkish daily newspaper Hurriyet has announced FEMEN's plans to open up a Turkish branch:
We have met Inna Sevcenko in FEMEN Training center and she has said that she supports Taksim Gezi Park protests and FEMEN has drawn huge interest from Turkey. She has also said that to open up FEMEN branch in Turkey they have trained a Turkish woman in FEMEN Paris.
Source : Türk Femen’ler geliyor

FEMEN Turkey Guntulu topless protest
Femen Turkey
FEMEN Turkey requested support from Turkısh women. They wrote in twitter and requested women to send them a topless photo where they write political messages on their breasts. A Turkish woman named Didem Dinç has been the first supporter. She has sent a topless photo of herself with "No to war" on her breast.

Didem Dinç FEMEN Türkiye
Didem Dinç

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Marmaray will open on 29 October 2013

Marmaray, the tube which will cross the Bosphorus underwater from Europe to Asia in Istanbul, is set to open on 29 October 2013, on the 90th birthday of The Republic of Turkey. The project has been under construction in the past 9 years and is usually referred as "The Project of The Century" by ruling Justice and Development Party. The tests on the section which is composed of submerged tube and tunnels has been started on 4 August 2013 and the first test drive was performed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Marmaray is in fact going into operation 4.5 years later than it was originally planned. When the work for Marmaray started in 2004, it was planned to be finished by 2009. But in 2005, archaeologically significant sites were discovered at the location where the Marmaray tunnel goes to surface level and sections in Uskudar, Sirkeci and Yenikapi. The most important site which has been uncovered was the biggest port of Constantinople in the 4tn century, Theodosius Port.

Not all phases of Marmaray are opened on 29th October. Only the first phase which is composed of 4 stations will be opened. This section is the most important section because it has the underwater Bosphorus crossing. All the project will be operational sometime in 2015.

Marmaray ticket prices will be 1.95 Turkish Lira (around 1 USD).

Below are the 4 stations which will be operational on 29th October:
  • Yenikapı (European Side)
  • Sirkeci (European Side)
  • Üsküdar (Asian Side)
  • Ayrılıkçeşme (Asian Side)
Marmaray construction site seen here in Uskudar, Asian side of Bosphorus. On the other side,
European shores of Bosphorus is seen.
Same day with Marmaray (but with a different ceremony), Ankara - Istanbul High Speed Rail Line will also become operational.  

Ankara - Istanbul High-speed Train

Ankara – Istanbul high speed train is a high speed train in Turkey scheduled to operate on 533 kilometer long Ankara – Istanbul high speed railway from February or March 2014. Currently, Ankara – Eskisehir high speed train is operational and the high speed railway between Istanbul and Turkey is almost completed.

Istanbul is the largest city and the financial, cultural and art center of Turkey. Ankara, the second largest city in Turkey, is the capital city. Ankara – Istanbul route is the busiest route in Turkey currently dominated by private buses and airlines. With the completion of the project, travel time between Ankara and Istanbul will be reduced to only 3 hours and the share of transportation by the railway on the route is expected to jump to 78% from the current 10%. More, Ankara – Istanbul high speed railway will connect to Marmaray which will allow direct train access from Europe to Asia.

I have previously used the existing high speed train line between Ankara and Eskisehir. The train is quite comfortable and offers plugs for your computer in the business section and a comfortable working space. Adding these extras, the travel time between Ankara and Istanbul is more productive with the high speed train. And you do not need to pass through those endless security check queues of the airports which also reduces the total time spent.

Ankara – Istanbul High Speed Train (TCDD HT65000)
Ankara – Istanbul High Speed Train (TCDD HT65000)
Ankara – Istanbul High-speed train starts its journey from the city center of Ankara but the story is different in Istanbul. Unfortunately, the high speed train will not arrive to Haydarpasa Train Station in Kadikoy as many hoped. The train starts its service from Pendik, the eastern most district of Istanbul. From there you will need to transfer to normal train line of Marmaray. There are 9 stops on the Ankara – Istanbul High Speed Rail Line (from Ankara to Istanbul):

  • Ankara
  • Polatlı,
  • Eskişehir
  • Bozüyük
  • Bilecik
  • Pamukova
  • Sapanca
  • İzmit
  • Gebze
  • Pendik

It seems like this created disappointment for many in Istanbul. One writer in popular internet site Eksi Sozluk wrote “I congratulate Izmit residents for their new High Speed Train Line” (Although Pendik is a district of Istanbul, it is quite far in the eastern outskirts of city towards city of Izmit).

Ankara – Istanbul High-speed Train is not the only high speed rail project in Turkey. There is a high speed rail line between Ankara and Konya and there are projects to connect Ankara to Samsun, Kars (via Sivas, Erzincan) and even distant cities like Diyarbakir and Antep by high speed train. Turkey expects to have 1500 km high speed train line in 2013 and plans to increase this to 10,000 kilometers in 2023, the 100th birthday of Turkish Republic.

Turkey High Speed Railway Map (completed, underconstruction and planned
Turkey High Speed Railway Map (completed, underconstruction and planned

Monday, October 14, 2013

Elite World Istanbul Hotel Review

5-Star Elite World Istanbul Hotel is located in a calm street near Istiklal Street. This makes one of Istanbul's must see locations and a vibrant Istanbul nightlife center, Istiklal, walking distance away from your hotel while it is still relatively a calm place to enjoy your night. On the same street next to Elite World Hotel Istanbul, there is another hotel named Elite World Prestige. Do not confuse this 4-Star hotel with Elite World.

We have stayed there overnight. Although we have booked a single queen bed room, the reception has told us that they will combine two single beds as one so we will stay in a larger room. We have not objected.

The hotel is nicely decorated and very clean and comfortable. Room we have stayed had Jacuzzi.

I have tried the SPA in Elite World Istanbul. The SPA options range from 55 Eur to 155 Euro. I have selected the 155 EUR and 90 minutes Sultan Massage. The massage starts with 5 minutes of sauna followed by a "kese" treatment on a Turkish bath which scrubs out all the dead skin cells from your body. Kese is followed by a full body soap wash. This part is quite fun :) This is followed by a massage which is done by oil and a soft relaxing music. Sultan Massage is quite expensive but definitely value for money. You need reservation for the massage so do not just drop by.

Dinner served in the hotel is quite good. Soup was a little salty but still tasty.

5-Star Elite World Hotel Istanbul is conveniently located near
Taksim Square.
Elite World Hotel Istanbul is a nice hotel for both business travelers and leisure travelers. It is located at Sehit Muhtar St. No.42, Taksim, Istanbul (click the link on the address for the map). The location is quite central and near Taksim Square.

For reviews, room rates and booking refer to World Istanbul Hotel page.



Sunday, October 13, 2013

Villa Sandyma: Contemporary Villa for Sale in Turkey, in Ancient Halicarnassus, by Property Turkey

Perched like a sentry above the popular marina town of Yalikavak, Bodrum in Turkey, this contemporary villa for sale in Turkey, with its arresting sea views, represents a link between Turkey’s old and new eras. Located in a large rustic garden full of trees and hidden corners under the Aegean sun, Sandyma Villa looks silently over the marina and the far away islands, a permanent landmark in a rapidly evolving world.

This part of Bodrum, Turkey was once known as Sandyma, and was known worldwide as a lively centre of trade and commerce. The turquoise sea was filled with traditional timber-built gullets, large and small, docking at the harbour to offload their goods or leaving Sandyma for faraway shores with bellies full of valuable metals and quality fabrics.

Today’s Yalikavak’s is almost unrecognisable. While there are still a great number of sailing boats (this part of Bodrum is a favourite stop off for sailors), and people still spot the odd gullet, people are more likely to see mega-yachts instead of trading ships; millionaires instead of rough-and-ready traders. A multi-million euro cash injection into Yalikavak’s Marina has seen the emergence of Palmarina Bodrum, one of the best marinas anywhere in the Mediterranean. This development has had an unprecedented effect on tourism, with wealthy yachtsmen and women travelling from all over the northern hemisphere to experience Palmarina’s world-class facilities. (Obviously it does help that this part of the world has some of the most beautiful sailing routes anyone will see anywhere.) The marina’s opening has had a buoyant effect on local real estate, with property prices rising steadily.

Sandyma Villa: contemporary design, unquestionable comfort

Sandyma Villa is a unique design for Bodrum and the wider Mediterranean. Every square inch has been crafted with comfort and aesthetic enjoyment in mind. The villa for sale in Turkey was designed by Property Turkey’s own architects, people who not only know and appreciate good architecture, but also the peninsula and what it means to love Bodrum.

Built as three connecting cubic living spaces, Sandyma Villa has been crafted in a way that combines Yalikavak’s light and space, and this incredible sea-facing spot to its best advantage. In every single nook and cranny of the villa for sale in Turkey people will enjoy soft sunlight and panoramic sea views.

Sandyma’s most remarkable feature was inspired by the villa’s striking location. The living area, constructed in a two-storey, 7.5 metre atrium, has soaring floor-to-ceiling windows and is ideally positioned to take advantage of Yalikavak’s most spectacular feature: the lazy, golden sunlight that strikes the town each afternoon, and the jaw-dropping sunsets. While this all looks straightforward: sunlight, sea and sky; the fact of the matter is far more scientific. The designers measured the sun’s rays at each point during the day and calculated the angle at which the sunlight reached the living space most favourably, and designed the position of the house around this point. But there’s no need to concern yourself with this - just sit back and take in the view.

To complete the atmosphere of indoor-outdoor harmony, Property Turkey has incorporated in another unique feature into this villa for sale in Turkey: a sliding panel transforms this interior space into an outside terrace – seamlessly connecting the living area to the pool deck. An incredibly contemporary design feature from their extremely talented architects.

The living area’s generous 50m2 space is perfect for relaxation. A central sunken living area provides a cosy enclave for lying on the sofa staring into space, catching up on some TV or just enjoying the view. The lucky owner’s mind will be soothed by the gentle forward and back movements of tropical fish in the large aquarium, set into the wall at the edge of the living area. This deceptively simple touch belies yet more science, as studies have shown that gentle peripheral movements have the ability to quiet the mind and calm the senses.

Sandyma Contemporary Villa in Yalikavak Bodrum
Sandyma Contemporary Villa in Yalikavak Bodrum
Sandyma’s kitchen is also a contemporary design delight, with cutting-edge fittings and cool, chic marble worktops. An island in the centre allows for some extra workspace (or an ideal place to lounge with a glass of red) and an American bar is perfect for on-the-spot meals. The American bar also provides separation between the kitchen and the dining terrace, a larger dining area ideal for large dinner parties.
All of Sandyma’s bedrooms have incredible Aegean views as well as available outdoor space - big sea-facing balconies or access to the front terrace. Two master bedrooms feature Jacuzzi bathrooms and walk-in dressing areas. There are three bedrooms upstairs and one on the ground floor.

Outside, a pool deck made from high-quality teak surrounds a 12x8 metre pool. The pool features a sunset infinity wing where there are stools set up to allow the owner to enjoy cocktails at dusk. Where the decking ends, the travertine paving begins. The whole area is aesthetically pleasing as well as practical. A pergola style shade covers a BBQ area at the right hand side of the pool.

Underneath the pool is an extra living space of 60m2. This can be used as a caretaker’s home, or perhaps a space for guests who’d like a little more seclusion. Or even a group of teens who like to do their own thing – it’s completely up to the owner. Thanks to the property’s overall elevation, this self-contained space also enjoys amazing sea views. Sandyma Village, and other villas for sale in Turkey, will leave travellers breathless.

Amazing sea view Bodrum from Villa Sandyma
Amazing sea view Bodrum from Villa Sandyma
Discovering Bodrum Peninsula, home of ancient Halicarnassus
The small but perfectly formed Bodrum peninsula is scattered with traditional fishing villages, secluded coves, striking landscapes, old windmills and rocky harbours. A quick drive or dolmus ride from Yalikavak will show anyone just how much this part of Turkey has to offer: explore Bodrum’s ancient castle and then do a little window-shopping on the promenade; stroll around a windy shore and treat yourself to a seafood dinner in Gumusluk, where once the Myndos Gate stood; keep an eye out for Turkish celebrities at one of Turkbuku’s trendy beach bars before hitting one of Bodrum’s nightclubs, or simply spend the afternoon lazing on the beach. If anyone fancies a bit of history, visit the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

While the peninsula certainly has its charms, those who love Yalikavak couldn’t fathom a life lived anywhere else. This lovely town, framed by hills and hugged by the Aegean, has been a favourite of Turks and travellers alike since it was a tiny fishing village.

Strolling through today’s Yalikavak, it’s difficult to picture the long-ago town which once stood here. The state-of-the-art Palmarina centre, the expensive boutique stores, the superb restaurants and the rich visitors.

Bodrum has entered the 21stcentury with style. However, the Yalikavak of yesteryear is still found in the town’s cobbled streets and the traditional coffee houses; the vegetable markets and the handmade crafts. And the town’s most striking feature, the sunsets that bring visitors from all over the coast, are just as bright now as they were a thousand years ago. Some things stay the same, while others change for the better. Yalikavak combines old and new world Aegean in a way that will never leave you.